Darren Bent and Mason Bennett couldn’t inspire Derby County Under-23s to a Premier League 2 victory on their comebacks from injury.

A strong Rams XI went down 2-0 to in-form Leicester City at Pride Park Stadium tonight – a result which lifted the visitors to second in the table.

Bent had not played any football since injuring his hamstring in the 1-0 pre-season friendly defeat to Port Vale on July 18, while Bennett has been out since injuring his knee against Brentford in September.

Both gave enterprising performances – Bent played the full 90 and Bennett lasted 85 – but neither could make the difference.

Darren Bent in action for Derby County U23 (Image: Andy Clarke)

Instead, goals from Josh Knight and Lamine Kaba Sherif did the damage for Leicester, who finished with 10 men when Sherif received his marching orders for a second booking.

In a quiet start to proceedings at Pride Park, a crunching tackle from Josh Gordon on Jayden Bogle was enough to warm any game up. Gordon was cautioned for the foul.

With a side full of experience, Derby were looking to make that tell against their visitors, and they nearly did that after 17 minutes.

Max Lowe did well on the overlap and got to the byline where he dug out a cross. Bent heard the shout from the incoming Ikechi Anya and the Scot connected sweetly enough but his volley was straight at Eldin Jakupovic.

The opener came just six minutes later. Connor Wood drilled in a corner from the right, Bent couldn’t get enough on his clearance and Knight made no mistake to slam home from six yards.

After a long spell on the sidelines, Bent would have been itching to get a goal on his return. That chance almost presented itself on the half-hour mark when Callum Guy burst into the box and attempted to square for the unmarked Bent.

Knight had other ideas, though, and put in an excellent block to deny what would have surely been a goal for the former England striker.

The lead could – and should – have been doubled four minutes before the break. Ahmed Musa has cut a peripheral figure for the Leicester first-team this season and his miss after 41 minutes wouldn’t have helped his cause.

George Thomas – a reported summer transfer target for Derby – floated a corner in, Sam Hughes headed it dangerously back across goal and into the six-yard box where Musa somehow struck his effort off the crossbar.

Leicester did double their lead four minutes after the restart and Musa again was involved. The dangerous winger got the ball in space down the left. He charged forward and picked an excellent cross, which Sherif put away with an emphatic finish from 12 yards.

The Rams persevered in their efforts, but Alex Babos’s low drive from 20 yards was all they could muster, and Jakupovic dealt with it easily.

Leicester ended on a sour note when Sherif picked up his second booking with five minutes to go, but their damage had already been done.